Melanie O'Connell Underwood

Melanie O'Connell Underwood is a seasoned economic development professional with extensive experience in industry expansion and management. Currently serving as Existing Industry Expansion Manager at the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina since April 2016, O'Connell focuses on supporting growth and expansion for existing industries in the Southwest Region of North Carolina. Previously, O'Connell was the President of Melanie O'Connell Underwood Economic Development Consulting, LLC from February 2008 to April 2016, and served as Executive Director of the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Commission, where contributions led to over $2 billion in new investments and the creation of more than 6,000 jobs over 12 years. O'Connell also held the position of Executive Director of Economic Development for Chatham County, managing all facets of economic initiatives in a rural context. O'Connell holds both a Master’s and Bachelor's degree in Geography from East Carolina University.